KNOWING YOU

KY 3

3: Eternal existence.

Minho nodded slowly, a sense of curiosity mingling with the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. There was something undeniably intriguing about this mysterious stranger, something that drew Minho towards him despite the uncertainty of the situation.

For a moment, they stood there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, trying to make sense of the inexplicable connection that seemed to bind them together.

And as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the stream , Minho couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was just the beginning of something extraordinary.

However a moment later Minho felt utterly dumb for not repeating the word by the latter in his mind again and again like a kid reciting their nursery rhymes. Yet, despite the initial awkwardness, Minho found himself drawn to Jisung's soft gaze and hesitant smile. There was something about the way Jisung carried himself, something inherently intriguing that sparked a sense of excitement within Minho.

He watched the young man stumble back, his face morphing into a shocked expression, confusing Minho even more. The latter was acting like something impossible was happening around him. What a weird way to make a first impression!

Finally, the young man glanced at Minho, his expression turning soft, noticing that Minho was getting a bit uncomfortable with his weird behaviour.

“Han Jisung," the young man finally spoke, his voice laced with mild surprise and hesitation. His eyes, a warm shade of brown, held a hint of amusement as they met Minho's, their slender shape adding to the gentle curiosity in his gaze, his small lips curled upward into a small smile that held uncertainty.

Minho returned the smile, feeling a rush of excitement at the prospect of a new friendship blossoming before him. "Hey, Jisung! Nice to meet you; I am a new visitor here," he replied, extending his hand for a handshake. However, his gesture was met with Jisung's retreat, leaving Minho momentarily puzzled.

"How is this possible?" As Jisung mumbled out his words in a broken recorder-like fashion, Minho couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. "What happened? Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Are you sure that you can see me?"

Jisung's next question caught Minho off guard, prompting him to focus on Jisung's outstretched hand with a furrowed brow. “Then tell me how many fingers I'm holding." Jisung questioned, raising his four fingers in the air.

"Ah, four?" he replied on what he saw, only to be met with a piercing scream from Jisung, scaring the shit out of him.

"Oh, my universe! This is not good." Minho stared blankly at the panicking boy, watching the other frantically move his hands around like a cat in water.

"Oii Jisung, what the heck?" Minho recoiled, his own shock mirrored in Jisung's panicked movements. Before Jisung could even react, Minho reached out his hands to hold the latter's shoulder to calm him down. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Both of them watched as Minho's hand passed right through Jisung's figure, leaving him feeling even more bewildered by the surreal turn of events.

Jisung immediately took a step back, not to scare Minho even more, but the mentioned boy didn't get the surreal image register on his mind  as he again stretched his hand to hold Jisung, but like before, it went through Jisung's shoulder.

"W-What?" Minho stammered, his horror mounting as he struggled to make sense of the situation unfolding before him. He looked at Jisung, who was equally shocked. "You know magic?" Jisung sighed.

Well, it seems like there is no going back.

"No," Jisung firmly uttered, stretching his hands out for Minho to hold. Minho hesitantly tried to hold Jisung, and he felt nothing but air. He immediately took his hand back, blinking his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming or seeing things.

"Are you a ghost?" Jisung softly nodded, making Minho even more scared. He couldn't seem to believe the absurd situation he was in. The realisation that Jisung might be a ghost sent a shiver down Minho's spine, his mind racing with a whirlwind of fear and disbelief.

Jisung noticed the panicked state of Minho and immediately raised his hands in surrender, reassuring him with trembling hands and a soft voice.

"H-Hey, don't panic; I'm not going to kill you or anything." Before Jisung could finish his sentence, Minho lost consciousness from the pure shock he went through. And as he slipped into unconsciousness from the sheer shock of it all, Minho's last thoughts were of the strange yet undeniable connection he felt with Jisung—a connection that transcended the boundaries of two worlds colliding.

"Minho!" Jisung yelled, trying to catch Minho, but he went right through his arms, falling on the grass with a loud 'thud'.

"Shit!" Jisung kneeled beside the human in panic and tried to touch him, but it was all in vain. He looked around for help, but then the realisation hit him that nobody could see him other than this human.

Jisung closed his eyes and started observing the human's breath. It was steady and rhythmic, making a shiver go through his spine.

He sighed, opening his eyes. "At least he is okay." Jisung exclaimed, taking a seat beside the human and unconsciously starting to observe his features.

Jisung had encountered countless souls during his time in this limbo-like existence, but none had ever approached him quite like this human.

When was the last time he had encountered someone so enthusiastic, so alive? Perhaps three years ago, when he himself was still among the living, before that fateful accident that had claimed his life in an instant.

Since that tragic moment, Jisung's soul had remained tethered to the earthly realm, unable to move on to whatever lay beyond. At first, the lack of memory of his human life had been a blessing, shielding him from the pain of his past. But as time wore on, a sense of melancholy began to seep into his consciousness, memories of his former life gradually resurfacing like fragments of a shattered mirror.

His hometown was Paju; his house; his school; he only had his mother; he was twenty years old when he died. Nothing else.

His childhood home is now a distant memory. He could faintly recall the familiar streets, the comforting warmth of his mother's embrace, the laughter of friends long gone. But the details were hazy, obscured by the passage of time and the veil of death that separated him from his past.

Occasionally, Jisung would return to Paju, seeking solace in the familiar surroundings and checking in on his mother. But each visit only served to deepen his sense of helplessness, watching from the sidelines as his mother struggled to carry on without him by her side.

And now, as he fixed his gaze at the unconscious Minho, Jisung couldn't shake the feeling of impending loss that weighed heavily on his soul. "He will run away from me anyways," he murmured softly, a resigned acceptance of the inevitable.

But even as he uttered those words, a flicker of hope remained in Jisung's heart—a hope that perhaps, against all odds, Minho wouldn't be scared of him, bridging the gap between their two worlds and offering Jisung the connection he had been longing for since the moment he became trapped in this ethereal existence.